Fluid replenisher control device

ABSTRACT

A device for replenisher control suitable for use in automatic web transporting equipment including X-ray and other film developing apparatus. The device includes a pair of rollers which are driven by the web as it passes through the apparatus. One roller is provided with a shaft extension upon which a driving gear is mounted. A large gear which incorporates a switch attracting magnet is responsive to the driving gear and rotates when the web rotates the rollers. The switch attracting magnet functions a timer which precisely controls the operation of a replensiher pump or other apparatus. In the case of film developing apparatus, a replenisher pump is operated through a timed cycle to add additional solutions in proportion to the rate of depletion of the developers and fixers utilized in the film development. The device also includes a signal gear which is responsive to the large gear to actuate a signal circuit for visual indication that a web is passing through the device.

United States Patent m1 I Hope et ai.

[ FLUID REPLENISHER CONTROL DEVICE [76] Inventors: I'IenryIll I-Iqpe, 195 WelshRd Huntingdon Valley, 19006;

Stephen F. Hope, 2421' Wyandotte I Rd, Willow Grove, both of Pa.

[22] Filed: Jan. 3, 1972 [21] Appl. No.: 214,814

Primary Examiner-Fred L. Braun Attorney-Karl L. Spivak 1 Aug. 14, 1973 ABSTRACT A device for replenisher control suitable for use in automatic web transporting equipment including X-ray and other film developing apparatus. The device includes a pair of rollers which are driven by the web as it passes through the apparatus. One roller is provided with a shaft extension upon which a driving gear is mounted. A large gear which incorporates a switch attracting magnet is responsive to the driving gear and rotates when the web rotates the rollers. The switch attracting magnet functions a timer which precisely controls the operation of a replensiher pump or other apparatus. In the case of film developing apparatus, a replenisher pump is operated through a timed cycle to add additional solutions in proportion to the rate of depletion of the developers and fixers utilized in the film development. The device also includes a signal gear which is responsive to the large gear to actuate a signal circuit for visual indication that a web is passing through the device.

9 Claims, 6 Drawing Figures Patented Aug. 14, 1973 I 3,752,052

2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Patented Aug. 14, 1973 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 FIG. 4

FIG. 5

FIG. 6

@IOS

FLUID REPLENISIIER CONTROL DEVICE BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION I The present invention relates generally to automatic web transporting equipment, and more particularly, is directed to automatic controls relating to such equipment.

The use of automatic web transporting equipment such as small, self-contained, automatic X-ray and other film developing equipment has found increasingly greater acceptance in those establishments requiring rapid and automatic film developing equipment such as hospitals, physicians offices, dentists offices and the like because of the relative ease in operation, the uncomplicated installation procedures, the relatively small floor space requirements and because the use of such equipment completely eliminates the need for extensive and costly dark room facilities. The present invention is also equally, applicable to other types of devices wherein elongate webs of sheet material are fed through the equipment. Automatic film developing equipment requires various tanks and film driving racks positioned within the tanks to lead the film automatically through the complete developing process. Other web transporting equipment incorporates solution containing tanks for various web treating purposes. Such tanks include the various chemical or other solutions that are required for developing or other web treating purposes such as the usual developers, fixers and washes. These solutions are generally depleted in proportion to the amount of use of the equipment and accordingly, must be periodically replenished as the web material is carried through the apparatus. As more film or other web material is treated automatically by the mechanism, additional solutions must be added to the developer, fixer and other tanks to replenish these tanks and to keep the equipment efficiently in operation.

Prior workers in the field have found that the purchasers of the automatic film transporting equipment such as X-ray and other film developing equipment were generally inexpert in replenishing the depleted solutions within the tanks, and inasmuch as these operations were generally manually performed, this lack of expertise quite often resulted in film development or other web treatment of inferior quality.

Because of these problems of chemical solution replenishment, prior workers in the art have attempted to develop automatic means for replenishing the solutions within the tanks to completely-eliminate the need for any manual intervention on the part of the operators. Such prior art mechanisms have tended to become exceedingly cumbersome and expensive and have proved costly to maintain and repair.- Some devices have employed micro switches responsive to the travel of the web material through the apparatus. Such micro switches provedtroublesome in that they tended to rapidly deteriorate under usual conditions of operation thereby creating expensive maintenance problems.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The in response invention relates generally to the field of web transporting equipment, and more particularly, is directed to a device for replenisher control and feed indication to automatically replenish. solution tanks inresponse to travel of elongate web material through the apparatus.

The present invention includes a pair of rollers in tangential contact which are driven by the passage of an elongate web such as film through the nip of the rollers. One of the rollers includes a shaft having a small gear mounted thereon which rotates when the shaft rotates to drive a large replenisher control gear. The replenisher control gear is provided with switch means which rotate through 360 as the gear is rotated by the rollers. An actuator switch positions within the apparatus adjacent the replenisher control gear and is activated by the switch means once every revolution. The actuator switch controls an electrical circuit which includes a motor operated time switch or an equivalent device and a replenisher pump motor. The actuator switch is normally closed to normally power the timer motor to a stall position wherein the time switch is held in the open position to prevent current from reaching the replenisher pump motor. Upon momentary activation of the actuator switch as the replenisher control gear rotates, the timer switch is activated to energize the replenisher pump motor for a predetermined period of operation.

During the operation of the timer dial, the actuator switch again closes to cause current'flow to both the timer motor and the replenisher pump motor for pump operation. Once the timer dial cycle has been completed, the timer motor again opens the timer switch to automatically stop the replenisher pump operation. The replenisher control gear as it is rotated by the travel of the web through the apparatus controls the cycle of operation of the timer dial. An exact predetermined period of operation of the replenisher pump can be precisely regulated to replenish chemicals in the exact quantity required to replace the developers and fixers used by having the replenisher pump operation depend directly on the travel of the web material.

Additionally, if so desired, a signal gear can be provided in mesh with the replenisher control gear in a manner to cause the signal gear to rotate at relatively high speed during all periods when the web is actually passing through the apparatus. Switch means may be attached to the signal gear near the outer periphery thereof to rotate rapidly in and out of attraction with a second activator switch. By providing an indicator lamp which is connected in series with the second actuator switch, a flashing indicating lightarrangement may be readily provided to thereby visually indicate to the operator when the film is actually passing through the device' so that he may know when the machine is ready to receive additional film for developing purposes.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide an improved device for solution replenisher control of the type set forth.

It is another object of the present invention to pro? vide a novel device for replenisher control which is responsive directly to the passage of web, material through automatic web transporting equipment.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a novel device for replenisher control which incorporates a pair of rollers which are rotatively driven by the passage of a web through automatic web transporting equipment and which incorporate means to drive a replenisher control gear to operate a replenisher pump circuit in direct relationship to the length of web passing through the machine.

' It is another object of the present invention to provide a novel device for replenisher pump control including a replenisher control gear which carries means to periodically actuate the replenisher pump electrical circuit and which also drives a signal gear to function a web travel indicator circuit.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a novel device for replenisher control which incorporates a circuit having a normally closed actuator switch, switch means responsive to the travel of a web to open the actuator switch, a timer motor holding a replenisher pump switch in normally open position said replenisher pumpswitch being closed for a predetermined period upon opening of the actuator switch to automatically control the replenishing of various solutions which have been depleted by the passage of the webthrough the apparatus.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a novel device for replenisher control which incorporates drive means directly responsive to the passage of a web, said drive means opening and closing a replenisher pump control circuit in direct proportion to the length of the web passing through the apparatus.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a novel device for replenisher control that is simple in design, inexpensive inmanufacture and trouble free when in use.

Other objects and a fuller understanding of the invention will be had by referring to the following description and claims of a preferred embodiment thereof, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings wherein like reference characters refer to similar parts throughout the several views and in which:

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. I is a partial, perspective view of a portion of a web transporting rack assembly incorporating a device for replenisher control, portions of which have been broken away to expose details of interior construction.

FIG. 2 is a reduced cross sectional view .taken along line 2-2 of FIG. 1, looking in the direction of the arrows.

FIG. 3 is a cross sectional view similar to FIG. 2, but

showing the apparatus when no web material is passing Although specific terms are used in the following description for the sake of clarity, these terms are intended to refer only to the particular structure of our invention selected for illustration in the drawings and are not intended to define or limit the scope of theinvention.

The invention will be described-in particular with relation to automatic film developing equipment. However, it will be appreciated that the invention is not lim- J ited to developing machines and that the same principles herein disclosed may be applied with equal facility to numerous other types of equipment having utility in moving a length of web material through an apparatus for various web treatment processes.

Referring now to the drawings, we show in FIG. 1 a portion of a rack assembly which may be similar in construction to the rack assembly disclosed in our copending application entitled Film Turnabout System, Ser. Number 97,808, filed Dec. l4, I970, now U.S. Pat. No. 3,701,526. The rack assembly 10 includes a pair of spaced side plates 12, 14 through which are journaled a plurality of film driving rollers, the film driving rollers l6, 18, 20, 22, being illustrative thereof. As'more fully disclosed in our said copending patent application, each roller l6, 18, 20, 22 is conventionally provided with a respective shaft extension 24, 26, 28, 30 upon which are pinned or otherwise affixed the respective roller operating gears 32, 34, 36, 38. The roller operating gears form part of a gear train for mutual simultaneous rotation by the main machine drive gear (not shown). Accordingly, the film driving rollers l6, 18,

20, 22 operate in unison to convey the X-ray or other film 40 through the apparatus.

A pair of film driven rollers or operating means 42, 44 have their respective roller shafts'46, 48 conventionally journaled through the side plates 12, 14 to permit rotary action of the rollers therebetween. The rollers 42, 44 are not connected with the film driving roller operating gears 32, 34, 36, 38 and accordingly, do not rotate in unison with the film driving rollers 16, 18,20, 22. Rather, the film rollers 42, 44 are in tangential contact to form a nip 50 which is positioned to receive the film 40 therein from the upper film driving rollers 16, 18. As more fully set forth in our said copending patent application, the film 40 is positively driven through the apparatus by operation of the plurality of film driving rollers 16, 18, 20, 22. The driven film 40 is introduced to the nip 46 defined between the film driven rollers 42, 44 and passes therebetween to enter the nip of the lower positioned film driving rollers 20,22. Passage of the film 40 through the rollers 42, 44 causes the rollers 42, 44 to rotate during all intervals of time when the film is acutally passing through the rollers. When no film is passing between the rollers 42, 44, rotative movement of the rollers 42, 44 correspondingly ceases. See FIG. 3. I

One driven roller shaft, for example, the roller shaft 48, is provided with a shaft extension52 which extends outwardly from the side' plate 14 a'sufficient length to carrythe samll driving gear 54. The drivinggear'54 is pinned or otherwise conventionally affixed to the shaft 48 and is caused'to rotate by the film passing which causes rotation of the rollers 42', 44. A large replenishercontrol gear 56 positions adjacent the driving gear 54 and has its shaft 58 conventionally joumaled within the side plate '14 to permit unrestricted rotation thereabout. The replenisher control gear 56 meshes with the small driving gear 54 and accordingly, is rotated by the passage of the film 40 between the film driven rollers 42, 44. A magnet 62 is affixed near the outer-periphery of the replenisher control gear 56 and rotates about the shaft 58 as the replenisher control gear rotatively is driven. A magnetically activated switch 64 of the normally-closed type stationarily mounts upon side plate 14 ,orelsewhere in position to be actuated by the magnet 62 one time for eachcomplete revolution" of the replenisher control gear 56 for. circuit opening purposes, as hereinafter more fully set forth.

As shown in FIG. 2 the film driven rollers 42, 44 turn in the direction of the arrows 66 when the film 40 passes through the nip 50 defined between the rollers 42, 44. Thus, the film 40 serves as the driving media to rotate the film driven rollers 42, 44. As seen in FIG. 3, the film driven rollers 42, 44 will not rotate when there is no film within the apparatus even though the film driving rollers 16, 18, 20, 22 are drivenby their respective gears 32, 34, 36, 38 in the direction of the arrows 68, 70. Accordingly, the small driving gear 54 and the meshed replenisher control gear 56 will rotate only upon passage of the film 40 between the film driven rollers 42, 44. The magnet 62 will be stationary when there is no film passing through the rollers 42, 44 and will rotate only upon film driven rotation of replenisher control gear 56.

-If desired a signal gear 72 may be provided adajcent the gear 56 which has its shaft 74 rotatively carried in the side plate 14 and which meshes with the replenisher control gear 56in conventional manner. Thus, rotation of the small driving gear 54 will also rotate the signal gear 72 through the gear 56. See FIG. 1. Preferably, the

signal gear 72 has a diameter that is quite small in comparison to the diameter of the large gear 56 so that relatively slow rotation of the gear 56 will cause simultaneous rapid revolution of the signal gear 72 near the outer periphery thereof and functions a conventional second magnetically actuated switch 78 in the usual manner. The rapid rotation of the second magnet 76 causes rapid opening and closing of the magnetically actuated switch 78 for indicator lamp operation purposes as hereinafter more fully set forth.

Referring now to FIG. 4, we show the replenisher pump circuit 80 in an initial condition corresponding to any position of the replenisher control gear 56 wherein the magnet 62 was rotated out of the sphere of attraction of the first magnetically actuated switch 64. It will be noted that the circuit 80 connects to a usual source of electrical power which may be 1 IS-volt, 60-cycle alternating current which is applied to the circuit terminals 82, 84 in conventional manner. The magnetically actuated switch 64 is normally closed as indicated and is connected in series in the circuit 80. A timer motor 86 is also connected in series in the circuit 80 and controls the timer switch 88 in the manner hereinafter more fully set forth. The replenisher pump motor 90 is connected in parallel across the circuit 80 and is wired to be responsive to the movement of the timer switch 88 into engagement with contact 98. See FIG. 5. The timer motor 86 and timer switch 88 conventionally includes a timer dial (not shown) to permit precise timed operation of the timer switch 88 for a predetermined period of time in well known manner. The timer motor, timer dial and switch may be similar to that manufactured by Precision Electrical Company.

In operation, current is introduced to the circuit,80 through the terminals 82, 84 to energize the circuit through the normally closed, magnetically actuated switch 64. The flow of current energizes the timer motor 86 which acts to pull the timer dial (not shown) to a stall position wherein the timer switch movable contact 92 is urged into engagement with the normally open replenisher pump contact 94. The timer switch 88 thus interrupts the replenisher pump circuit leg 96 and no current flows to the replenisher pump motor 90. It will be noted that the timer motor 86 will be continuously energized to its said stall position at all times as the magnet 62 rotates upon film initiated rotation of the replenisher control gear 56. When the magnet 62 is rotated into position to magnetically attract the first magnetically actuated switch 64, the switch is momentarily biased to an open position to momentarily interrupt the flow of current to the timer motor 86 and then immediately closes again. This momentary interruption of current releases the timer dial (not shown) to allow it to rotate for its predetermined timed cycle of operation (for example 10 to 15 seconds). The operation of the timer dial moves the timer switch 88 to pull the movable contact 92 into engagement with the normally closed contact 98. See FIG. 5. Accordingly, the timer switch 88 remains closed for the predetermined timed cycle of the timer dial (not shown) to thereby electronically energize the replenisher pump circuit leg 96 through the circuit for the said predetermined period of time. During the interval of time pre-set upon the timer dial (not shown), current from the circuit terminals 82, 84 is applied to the replenisher pump motor through the circuit leg 96 to operate the replenisher pump (not shown) to add developer and fixer to the respective developer and fixer tanks (not shown) in direct proportion to the rate of solution depletion as monitored by the operation of the film driven rollers 42, 44.

It will be noted by referring to FIG. 5 that the magnetically actuated switch 64 is normally closed and powers the timer motor 86 to its stall position even while the replenisher pump circuit leg 96 is energized by the timer dial which urges the movable contact 92 into engagement with the normally closed contact 98. Upon cycling of the timer dial (not shown), the timer switch 88 automatically returns the timer switch movable contact 92 into engagement with the normally open contact 94 to thereby interrupt flow of power to the replenisher pump motor 90 and return the circuit 80 to its FIG. 4 condition until the next full rotation of the magnet 62 brings it again into close proximity to magnetically actuated switch 64.

Referring now to FIG. 6, the indicator lamp circuit 100 is illustrated as a series circuit having its respective terminals 102, 104 connected to a usual source of 1 15 volt, 60 cycle alteranting current (not shown). The second magnetically actuated switch 78 which is preferably of the normally closed type, is connected in series in the circuit 100 to normally power the indicator lamp 106. As the signal gear 72 rapidly revolves, the second magnet 76 is rapidly moved into and out of magnetic attraction with the second magnetically actuated swtich 78 to cause repeated opening and closing of this switch. Opening and closing of the switch 78 allows the flow of intermittent power through the indicator lamp circuit 100 to alternately energize and deenergize the indicator lamp 106 for lamp flashing purposes.

As hereinbefore set forth, the rotation of the signal power gear 72 is directly related to the passage of film 40 through the apparatus. Accordingly, at all times when the film 40 passes between the film driven rollers 42, 44, the signal gear 72 rotates to flash the indicator lamp 106, thereby alerting the operator that film is passing through the film developing equipment. When the signal gear 72 is not being rotated, the normally closed actuator switch 78 continuously powers the indicator lamp circuit 100 to continuously light the indicator lamp 106 to thereby alert the operator that the apparatus is ready to receive additional film for develop ing purposes.

While it will be noted that the circuits 80, 100 and the gears 56, 72 were described as having respectively magnetically attracted components, it will be appreciated that this description related to but one method of accomplishing the desired circuit operation and that other known switching apparatus could be employed if desired and still fall within the scope and meaning of this invention.

We claim:

1. In a device for replenisher control for use with web transporting equipment of the type employing reack assemblies having spaced side plates and a plurality of web driving rollers journalled between the side plates to drive an elongate web of material throughthe equipment, the combination of A. operating means rotatively carried between the side plates, 1. said operating means being responsive to the passage of the web through the operating means;

B. a driving gear operatively connected to the operating means and being rotated by the operating means when the web travels through the operating means;

C; circuit actuating means in operative contact with the said driving gear,

1. said circuit actuating means being rotated by the said driving gear,

2; said circuit actuating means including a replenisher control gear, a magnet and a magnetically actuated switch, the said magnet being peripher- 2. said replenisher pump motor being deenergized when the circuit is in its said first operative condition and said replenisher pump motor being operative when the circuit is in its said second operative condition to operate a replenisher pump. 2. The invention of claim 1 wherein the magnetically actuated switch is normally closed and wherein said switch is connected in series in the said electrical circuit.

3. The invention of claim 2 wherein the electrical circuit incorporates a timer switch having a timer motor connected in series in the said circuit, said timer motor being normally energized by the electrical circuit when the circuit is in its said first operative condition, the said timer motor urging the timer switch from afirst position to a second position when the timer motor is energized.

4. The invention of claim 3 wherein said replenisher pump motor is connected in parallel in the electrical circuit, said timer switch interrupting the flow of currentto the replenisher pump motor whentin the said second position and allowing the flow of current to the replenisher pump motor when in the said first position to cause replenisher pump operation.

5. The invention of claim 4 wherein the said timer motor is normally energized to a stalled position during operation of the equipment, said timer motor continuously pulling the timer switch to the said second position when current flows through the replenisher pump circuit.

6. The invention of claim 5 wherein rotation of the said magnet into proximity to the magnetically actuated switch causes momentary opening of the magneti cally actuated switch to momentarily interrupt current flow to the said timer motor, interruption-of the flow of current to the timer motor causing the timer switch to move to its said first position for a predetermined time.

7. The invention of claim 1 including a signal gearin mesh with the said replenisher control gear, said signal gear being rotated at a rate of speed greater than the rate of rotation of the replenisher control gear.

8. The invention of claim 7 wherein an indicator lamp circuit is responsive to rotation of the said signal gear, the said signal gear carrying means to alternately energize and deenergize the said indication lamp circuit. I

9. The invention of claim 8 wherein the said means to energize and deenergize said lamp circuit includes a purposes. 

1. In a device for replenisher control for use with web transporting equipment of the type employing reack assemblies having spaced side plates and a plurality of web driving rollers journalled between the side plates to drive an elongate web of material through the equipment, the combination of A. operating means rotatively carried between the side plates,
 1. said operating means being responsive to the passage of the web through the operating means; B. a driving gear operatively connected to the operating means and being rotated by the operating means when the web travels through the operating means; C. circuit actuating means in operative contact with the said driving gear,
 1. said circuit actuating means being rotated by the said driving gear,
 2. said circuit actuating means including a replenisher control gear, a magnet and a magnetically actuated switch, the said magnet being peripherally carried upon the said replenisher control gear and being rotated upon rotation of the said driving gear; and D. an electrical circuit being controlled by the circuit actuating means between a first operative condition and a second operative condition,
 1. said electrical circuit having a replenisher pump motor operatively connected therein,
 2. said replenisher pump motor being deenergized when the circuit is in its said first operative condition and said replenisher pump motor being operative when the circuit is in iTs said second operative condition to operate a replenisher pump.
 2. The invention of claim 1 wherein the magnetically actuated switch is normally closed and wherein said switch is connected in series in the said electrical circuit.
 2. said replenisher pump motor being deenergized when the circuit is in its said first operative condition and said replenisher pump motor being operative when the circuit is in iTs said second operative condition to operate a replenisher pump.
 2. said circuit actuating means including a replenisher control gear, a magnet and a magnetically actuated switch, the said magnet being peripherally carried upon the said replenisher control gear and being rotated upon rotation of the said driving gear; and D. an electrical circuit being controlled by the circuit actuating means between a first operative condition and a second operative condition,
 3. The invention of claim 2 wherein the electrical circuit incorporates a timer switch having a timer motor connected in series in the said circuit, said timer motor being normally energized by the electrical circuit when the circuit is in its said first operative condition, the said timer motor urging the timer switch from a first position to a second position when the timer motor is energized.
 4. The invention of claim 3 wherein said replenisher pump motor is connected in parallel in the electrical circuit, said timer switch interrupting the flow of current to the replenisher pump motor when in the said second position and allowing the flow of current to the replenisher pump motor when in the said first position to cause replenisher pump operation.
 5. The invention of claim 4 wherein the said timer motor is normally energized to a stalled position during operation of the equipment, said timer motor continuously pulling the timer switch to the said second position when current flows through the replenisher pump circuit.
 6. The invention of claim 5 wherein rotation of the said magnet into proximity to the magnetically actuated switch causes momentary opening of the magnetically actuated switch to momentarily interrupt current flow to the said timer motor, interruption of the flow of current to the timer motor causing the timer switch to move to its said first position for a predetermined time.
 7. The invention of claim 1 including a signal gear in mesh with the said replenisher control gear, said signal gear being rotated at a rate of speed greater than the rate of rotation of the replenisher control gear.
 8. The invention of claim 7 wherein an indicator lamp circuit is responsive to rotation of the said signal gear, the said signal gear carrying means to alternately energize and deenergize the said indication lamp circuit.
 9. The invention of claim 8 wherein the said means to energize and deenergize said lamp circuit includes a second magnet which is peripherally carried upon the signal gear and is rotated thereby and wherein the indicator lamp circuit has a second magnetically actuated switch connected in series therewith, the said second magnetically actuated switch being responsive to rotation of the second magnet to alternately deenergize and energize the indicator lamp circuit for lamp flashing purposes. 